Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson enters her sixth season as Alabama State University’s softball head coach for the 2019-2020 academic year.
In her 13-year collegiate coaching career, Wilcoxson has posted a 436-328-2 record, winning approximately 60 percent of her games. She was also one of 12 nominees for the Girls Scouts of Southern Alabama Leading Ladies Award during the 2018 season.
Last season, the Lady Hornets captured their second SWAC championship under Wilcoxson and advanced to the Tuscaloosa Regional - second in school history. She led the SWAC Newcomer of the Year, as well as three SWAC all-conference selections. In 2017, she had the privilege of coaching against Team USA, leading a group of college all-stars against the national team.
A two-time team captain at Auburn University, Wilcoxson was a three-year starter for the Tigers during Auburn’s first three seasons in existence. She hit the first home run in Tigers’ softball history and was selected to the Southeastern Conference All-Academic team twice. Wilcoxson led Auburn in home runs in 1997 and closed her playing career in 1999 by leading the team in at-bats, triples and stolen bases.
She currently ranks third in the Auburn record book in career stolen bases and triples.
Wilcoxson, who led Auburn-Montgomery to the 2014 national championship, was named head softball coach at Alabama State in August, 2014. Coach Chris brought swift success to Montgomery by leading the Lady Hornets to their first softball SWAC Championship in school history in just her second season, 2016, toppling Texas Southern in a rematch of the 2015 SWAC Championship with a resounding 18-8 victory to clinch its first NCAA Tournament berth. The 28 wins were the third highest for a single season in school history, and the team led the SWAC with six All-Conference selections and two individual award winners. ASU advanced to the NCAA Tournament to play at the #1 team in the nation, the University of Florida, as well as #22 Florida Atlantic.
In 2017, Wilcoxson helped lead the Lady Hornets to a runner-up finish in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and a berth in the NISC Postseason Tournament. In that tournament, the Lady Hornets won their first postseason game in school history. She also coached four players who were named All- Conference at the conclusion of the season, including first team selection Kendall Core.
In her first year, she guided the Lady Hornets to a 21-win season and a trip to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game against Texas Southern at Wilson Morgan Park in Decatur, Ala. The win total was four more victories than the prior season. ASU earned a No. 2 seed in the SWAC East Division as the team went 11-6 in conference play for the second consecutive season.
In six seasons at AUM, Wilcoxson led the Warhawks to three consecutive NAIA Tournament appearances and the first national championship in program history. AUM won at least 30 games every season, including 40 or more victories in her last three seasons with the team. Wilcoxson compiled a 234-97-2 record at AUM. In 2014, Wilcoxson led the Warhawks to a 44-7 record, including a school-record 24-game winning streak. AUM won the Southern States Athletic Conference regular season championship with a 25-1 record, as she earned SSAC Coach of the Year accolades for the second time in her career. In December 2014, her coaching staff at AUM was recognized with the 2014 National Fast Pitch Softball Association Coaching Staff of the Year award. During her tenure, AUM was ranked in the NAIA Coaches’ Top-25 Poll for 44 consecutive weeks, including 22 straight weeks inside the top 10.
Prior to AUM, Wilcoxson had a three-year stint at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Ga., where she launched the Eagles’ softball program in 2005. At Reinhardt, she compiled an 84-80 overall record, including a 55-31 record in conference games. During this span between her time at AUM and Reinhardt, she won more than 30 games in eight consecutive seasons. In her second year at the helm at Reinhardt, Wilcoxson was named the 2006 Southern States Athletic Conference Softball Coach of the Year following her team’s third-place finish in the SSAC regular season and runner-up finish at the conference tournament. The Eagles were ranked No. 21 in the final NAIA poll
that year.
Prior to Wilcoxson’s move to Reinhardt, she served as head coach at Palmetto (Fla.) High School, where she coached from 2000-2004. She won two District 15 titles and was selected to coach the Florida West All-Star team twice. Her squad set a school record for victories in 2003 with 30, and her teams ranked in the top five of the state’s 4-A ratings in each year of her leadership.
Wilcoxson began her coaching career in 1999 at Eufaula High School, where she established a school record for wins in a season with 29 in 2000 and finished as district runner-up and sub-state finalist.
A 1994 graduate of Robertsdale High School in Robertsdale, Ala., Wilcoxson was a four-year starter in softball, volleyball and basketball, earning 12 varsity letters. She was inducted in the RHS Hall of Fame in 2006.
Wilcoxson is the proud parent of three children -- Easton, Auburn and Rylee.
